{"id":113595,"date":"2025-10-21T15:30:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/nyandungus-role-in-rwandas-green-spaces-vision"},"modified":"2025-10-21T16:19:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T16:19:04","slug":"nyandungus-role-in-rwandas-green-spaces-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/photo\/nyandungus-role-in-rwandas-green-spaces-vision","title":{"rendered":"Nyandungu’s Role in Rwanda’s Green Spaces Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Nestled between the busy roads of Kigali\u2019s Remera and Ndera sectors, Nyandungu Ecopark feels like another world. The air is cleaner here, softer somehow. The city noise fades into the rustle of papyrus and the slow chirping of birds, and the only traffic comes from walkers and cyclists tracing the park\u2019s winding trails.<\/p>\n

Yet this quiet stretch of restored wetland represents something far larger than a weekend escape.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu Ecopark is turning out to be the clearest expression of Rwanda\u2019s vision to build cities that breathe, urban environments designed not just for movement and commerce but also for health, climate resilience, and human well-being.<\/p>\n

Under the Kigali City Master Plan and Vision 2050, Rwanda aims to dedicate at least 25 percent of Kigali\u2019s surface area to green space, part of a broader national push to integrate ecological restoration and public health.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu Eco-park main entrance in Kigali.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu, officially opened in 2022, is the first fully developed urban wetland ecopark in the country, a living demonstration of how environmental planning can directly support physical and mental health.<\/p>\n

Healing by design <\/b><\/p>\n

When you walk through Nyandungu, the first thing that stands out is how deliberately it has been designed to promote calm and movement in equal measure.<\/p>\n

There are ten kilometres of walking and cycling tracks, shaded benches tucked into quiet corners, birdwatching decks, and a medicinal garden featuring more than 70 indigenous plant species once used in traditional healing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are not random details,\u201d said Ildephonse Kambogo, who oversees operations at the park. \u201cA visit to Nyandungu is itself linked to mental and physical well-being. When people come here, they breathe clean air, they walk or run, they learn about biodiversity, and they find peace away from the city\u2019s noise. It\u2019s a healing place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students ride bicycles during a tour of the revamped Nyandungu Eco-Park.<\/p>\n

The park is a result of years of collaboration between the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the Ministry of Environment, and partners including the Green Climate Fund and the European Union.<\/p>\n

What was once a degraded, flood-prone wetland choked by waste and informal farming has been transformed into a 121-hectare green sanctuary balancing conservation, recreation, and education.<\/p>\n

According to REMA, Nyandungu is part of Rwanda\u2019s broader strategy to restore degraded wetlands across Kigali and to create ecoparks in all major districts as natural buffers against urban flooding, rising temperatures, and stress-related illnesses.<\/p>\n

But beyond its ecological purpose, the park\u2019s managers and frequent visitors are increasingly recognizing its therapeutic value.<\/p>\n

Reviving indigenous plants<\/b><\/p>\n

Nyandungu Ecopark in Kigali hosts several indigenous medicinal trees that reflect Rwanda\u2019s rich tradition of natural healing.<\/p>\n

Among them are Kigelia africana (Umuvungavungo), the sausage tree, whose fruits and bark are traditionally used to treat skin problems and wounds; Ficus ovata (Umurehe), a fig tree whose bark and roots serve in remedies for digestive and respiratory issues; and Markhamia lutea (Umusave), valued both for timber and for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.<\/p>\n

These species are carefully arranged within the park\u2019s medicinal garden, a space designed to preserve indigenous plant knowledge while offering visitors an opportunity to learn, engage, and reflect.<\/p>\n

By combining education, conservation, and wellness, the garden not only showcases Rwanda\u2019s botanical heritage but also supports the broader goal of mental and physical well-being.<\/p>\n

A sanctuary for mental health<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you walk here, you don\u2019t just see trees, you start listening to yourself,\u201d Kambogo said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen visitors come just to find a private corner to sit and think. Some meditate for hours, and when they leave, they tell us, \u2018I feel lighter, calmer, better.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Parents and children walk at Nyandungu<\/p>\n

He recalls visitors who request more private sitting areas for meditation and reflection. The park has responded by training guides to help visitors understand the cultural and historical significance of different trees and plants, many of which carry symbolic meaning in Rwandan tradition.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the trees here were used in ancient Rwanda to resolve community conflicts or to mark boundaries,\u201d he explained. \u201cWhen older visitors see them, they remember their childhood. It brings comfort and connection. That\u2019s also healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Medicinal Garden is a favourite spot for both locals and tourists. It showcases plants once used by traditional healers for ailments ranging from respiratory conditions to skin infections and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Signage in Kinyarwanda and English explains their uses, allowing visitors to learn while strolling through aromatic herbs and flowering shrubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people touch, observe, and smell these plants, they are not just learning, they are engaging in a sensory experience,\u201d Kambogo said. \u201cIt\u2019s a way of reconnecting with nature and with our own history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accessibility and inclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

Although Nyandungu\u2019s terrain remains largely natural, the park’s management has made significant efforts to improve accessibility. Several trails feature gentle slopes and smooth surfaces, making them suitable for wheelchairs and strollers.<\/p>\n

According to Kambogo, Nyandungu is currently setting up a first aid and wellness room to assist visitors who may experience fatigue, dizziness, or other minor health concerns during their visit.<\/p>\n

He also noted that two electric buggies have been procured and are expected to be operational by the end of the year. In addition, construction of a new visitor center is scheduled to begin soon.<\/p>\n

The park is a result of years of collaboration between the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the Ministry of Environment, and partners including the Green Climate Fund and the European<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re setting up a small medical space with basic equipment\u2014first aid kits, a bed, a resting area,\u201d he said. \u201cIf someone feels unwell, they can recover before heading home. It\u2019s part of our plan to make Nyandungu a full wellness destination.\u201d<\/p>\n

A larger Visitor Centre is also being built. The design includes a reception, educational space, mother\u2019s room, and expanded first aid facilities. \u201cThe idea,\u201d Kambogo explained, \u201cis to combine conservation education with comfort and health safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prescribing nature<\/b><\/p>\n

While urban green spaces have long been valued for recreation, doctors in Kigali are increasingly recognising them as legitimate tools for public health.<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Concorde Ishimwe, Chief Medical Officer at Muhima Hospital, activities like walking and cycling in green environments have measurable health benefits.<\/p>\n

Serenity flows through the bamboo-lined paths of Nyandungu Ecopark, a green oasis for nature lovers.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor patients with chronic diseases\u2014those who live with conditions like hypertension or diabetes\u2014regular walking is essential,\u201d he said. \u201cBut walking in nature adds something extra. It helps lower stress hormones, improves blood circulation, and strengthens the immune system.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted that many of his patients who live on lifelong medication develop depression or emotional fatigue over time. Nature-based physical activity offers a low-cost, sustainable complement to conventional care.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you walk slowly through a place like Nyandungu, your breathing changes, your mind relaxes, and you feel more present,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just exercise, it\u2019s therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Ishimwe also called for stronger awareness campaigns to encourage more people to use parks as part of their health routines.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany people don\u2019t even know these spaces exist,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to educate the public that parks are not just for leisure, they\u2019re preventive medicine. Hospitals, schools, and communities should all promote this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The psychology of green space<\/b><\/p>\n

Psychotherapist Leocadia Kabibi Nkusi from the Never Again Rwanda Wellness Centre takes it a step further. For her, walking in nature is not just a healthy habit, it\u2019s a form of therapy with deep psychological roots.<\/p>\n

A tranquil bamboo path at Nyandungu Ecopark.<\/p>\n

\u201cI often recommend nature walks to my clients,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of what we call mindful walking. You go into nature, slow down, and let your senses open. You feel the ground under your feet, the air on your skin, the sound of birds. It reconnects you to the present moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

She explained that this kind of physical and sensory grounding helps regulate the nervous system, which is often overactivated by stress or trauma.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has a calming, balancing effect,\u201d she said. \u201cYour heart rate slows, your thoughts settle, and your body releases tension. That\u2019s emotional healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

She described the practice of walking barefoot on grass or soil as a powerful form of grounding therapy, long used in trauma counselling and mindfulness practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may sound simple, but when people touch the earth, they literally reconnect to their environment,\u201d she said. \u201cThey feel supported and safe. That\u2019s something no pill can replicate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nkusi believes that ecoparks like Nyandungu should be seen as public mental health infrastructure, as important to urban planning as clinics or schools.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn cities like Kigali, life moves fast. People are under pressure from work, traffic, noise,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need more such spaces where people can decompress. Green areas are not a luxury; they\u2019re a public health necessity.\u201d<\/p>\n

A growing network of healing landscapes<\/b><\/p>\n

Nyandungu is not an isolated experiment. Rwanda\u2019s environmental authorities are already planning similar ecoparks and wetland restorations in other districts, following the same philosophy: restore nature, restore health.<\/p>\n

A visitor enjoys the calm beauty of Nyandungu Wetland, part of Rwanda\u2019s green vision.<\/p>\n

According to the Ministry of Environment and the City of Kigali, ongoing plans include developing ecological parks in Gikondo, Kibumba, and Rwampara wetlands, turning them into community green zones that combine biodiversity protection with recreation and education.<\/p>\n

These projects also align with Rwanda\u2019s National Environment and Climate Change Policy, which prioritizes urban green infrastructure as a tool for resilience, pollution control, and well-being.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu is described as a \u201cmodel for eco-tourism and wellness investment,\u201d a place where environmental restoration and human health goals meet.<\/p>\n

\u201cRwanda\u2019s future cities will be designed around people, not cars,\u201d said one City of Kigali planner during the park\u2019s launch. \u201cThat means building spaces that keep people healthy\u2014physically, mentally, and socially.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stories from the trails<\/b><\/p>\n

For many visitors, Nyandungu has already become a personal refuge. Some come in groups to jog or cycle before work. Others, like older residents from nearby suburbs, prefer slow evening walks among reeds and water lilies.<\/p>\n

Peacocks are among the many bird species you’ll find at Nyandungu Eco-Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never used to have a quiet and environmentally safe place to walk but when Nyandungu came, I now have at least 3 times a week of visiting this place to walk, meditate and heal,\u201d says Noel Mukiza, a 65-year-old retiree who has turned the ecopark into a personal space to recharge and stay strong.<\/p>\n

As Kambogo says, many are now beginning to discover the beauty of nature and what it has to offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had visitors who come here almost daily,\u201d said Kambogo. \u201cSome were told by friends, \u2018If you feel stressed, go to Nyandungu.\u2019 They come, walk for two hours, and go back home refreshed. It\u2019s become word-of-mouth therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

One elderly man, he recalled, told park staff that he had started visiting after struggling with mild depression following retirement. \u201cHe said walking here every morning gave him a new rhythm to his day,\u201d Kambogo said. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what this park is for.\u201d<\/p>\n

As these stories multiply, Nyandungu\u2019s identity is quietly shifting from a restored wetland to a kind of open-air wellness clinic.<\/p>\n

Nature as preventive medicine<\/b><\/p>\n

Globally, the idea of prescribing nature is gaining traction. In countries like Japan, the practice of Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing is used as an official public health intervention.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu also has some medicinal plants<\/p>\n

Research shows that spending time in green environments lowers cortisol levels, reduces heart rate, and boosts mood-regulating neurotransmitters.<\/p>\n

In Rwanda, the cultural connection to land and nature runs deep. By restoring spaces like Nyandungu, the government is not only reviving ecosystems but also reawakening that connection in a modern urban context.<\/p>\n

Dr. Ishimwe believes this shift could redefine how communities approach wellness. \u201cThe more we make parks accessible, the less pressure there will be on hospitals for preventable stress-related conditions,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is public health in its most natural form.\u201d<\/p>\n

A green future ahead<\/b><\/p>\n

With construction of the new visitor centre underway and plans for expanded walking trails and medical support areas, Nyandungu is evolving from a conservation project into a prototype for urban wellness design.<\/p>\n

Rwanda\u2019s commitment to developing a network of ecoparks across the country will not only enhance climate resilience but also provide safe, inclusive, and restorative spaces for its citizens.<\/p>\n

Nyandungu Ecopark is a great place to ride your wheels and enjoy nature.<\/p>\n

As Kambogo put it, \u201cNyandungu started as an environmental project, but it\u2019s becoming a healing destination. When people come here, they find peace, they breathe differently, they leave lighter. That\u2019s how we know it\u2019s working.\u201d<\/p>\n

At a time when modern life demands more speed, more screens, and more concrete, Rwanda\u2019s green vision offers something rare: space to slow down, walk, and heal. And in the heart of Kigali, Nyandungu Ecopark stands quietly as proof that sometimes, the best medicine is simply nature itself.<\/p>\n\r\n